Features
Ups a Daisy
Ex-Emmerdale actress admits to Viv Hardwick that
shefs nervous about starring in Daisy Pulls It Off, but
director Ian Dickens reveals his confidence in the
supporting cast, which includes Andrew Lloyd Webber
NEVER mind about
Daisy Pulls It Off, itfs
more like Ian
Dickens pulls it off
as the well-known
regional theatre
producer/director not only
persuaded Andrew Lloyd Webber to
let him tour the West End hit, but
also asked the musical impresario
to include a new song.
Add to that the fact that Dickens
last week unveiled former
Emmerdale star Julia Mallam as
one of the leading ladies in Daisy,
and Darlington Civic Theatrefs
four-week summer season looks the
most impressive so far.
Dickens says: gLord Lloyd
Webber owns the rights to Daisy so
we had to get in touch with his
company (the Really Useful Group)
and my contact at his office there
said hefd written a new song and
we could use it if we put his name
as an anagram in the programme
for a credit. So youfll be able to see
it when we come to Darlington in
June.
gThey are quite happy for me to
say that hefs written this new song
which is a new school song which
goes right through the production.
It es given us one hell of a buzz and
anything which is new with
something old always helps. I think
our production with Daisy will be
different from anything thatfs been
done before because, again, Ifve
chosen a different kind of setting.
Theyfve always been very
minimalistic, even in the West End,
but Ifve set the whole thing in the
school hall and the set opens up
like an advent calendar to reveal
the sanatorium, the schoolroom
and other important locations,h he
explains.
And the man famous for his
beautifully-crafted sets hinted at an
even bigger challenge to come as he
prepares to tour a stage version of
1973 film, Donft Look Now, which is
mainly set in Venice.
gWefre bringing that to
Darlington in November and the set
for that is going to be phenomenal
with 17 different settings. Casting is
still the most important thing in
my mind, as ever, because theatres
wonft take a show unless they feel
theyfve got the right people in it.
You donft even sell plays to theatres
now, you sell the names to
theatres,h he says.
One of the names he has for
Daisy, the production set in a 1927
girlsf boarding school where a
scholarship winner has to
overcome prejudice from fellow
pupils and staff, is Julia Mallam,
who played Dawn Woods in ITV1
soap Emmerdale for three years up
to 2006.
Mallam admits that her time in
Emmerdale made her anxious
about attempting theatre work for
the first time since she started out
as an actor.
gI started off in the National
Youth Theatre and I was itching to
get back and I said to my mum eIfve
got to do something before I get too
scaredf. The more years that go on
you think emy God, can I do it, can I
get on stage?f So it was great to get
the audition and for Ian to take a
chance on me.h
Her character of Trixie is Daisyfs
best friend and Mallam jokes that,
at five foot eight inches she towers
over ex-EastEnder Carly Hillman in
the role.
gI donft think Ifd have been right
for Daisy because Ifm a little bit too
tall and too old. Wefre going to look
a little bit comedic because Ifm told
Ifm much taller than Carly,h she
says of becoming one of 11 females
in the cast, where the girls roles are
all played by adults.
Having looked at the script
Mallam adds: gThe thing that
surprised me the most was it was so
jolly hockey sticks and itfs
definitely not me because Ifm from
Doncaster, so I have to get my
received pronunciation accent on
the go..
gAll the jobs Ifve ever done have
been using my own accent which is
nice and comfortable for something
like Emmerdale, but itfs quite
pleasing to test yourself. You can
ask me if Ifm still pleased about it
around halfway through the run.h
As it is, she asks me not to laugh
about her appearance in a
Childrenfs ITV show, Captain Mack,
in which she plays Tracy Trickstar,
a character addicted to playing
practical jokes.
gWefre all dressed up, prancing
around like idiots. I must admit
that I was a bit unsure when I got
the call because itfs so outside my
normal zone of work. Having done
a soap you enter the celebrity world
where people recognise you and
that was never what I wanted. I do
this because I enjoy acting and
celebrity is a by-product. Ifm sure
there are some people whofd think
ewhy would she do a show like that
after Emmerdale?f But I love
variety on my CV. If Ifd wanted
people to recognise me in the street
Ifd have gone on Big Brother.h
Daisy Pulls It Off, Darlington
Civic Theatre, June 24-29. Box
Office: 01325-486-555
Captain Mack is transmitted on
CITV every day at 12:30 and 14:30
and is scheduled to be shown on
ITV every Sunday from May 4 at
9:25am
6:12pm Thursday 24th April 2008
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